Fabric and strand for producing same.



No. 667,60l. Patented Feb. 5, l90l. W. M. STEVENSON.

FABRIC AND STRAND FOR PRODUCING SAME.

(Application filed Oct. 11, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNTTE STATES ATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM M. STEVENSON, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HODGES FIBER CARPET COMPANY, OF INDIAN ORCHARD, MASSACHUSETTS, AND PORTLAND, MAINE.

FABRIC AND STRAND FOR PRODUCING SAME;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,601, dated February 5, 1901.

Application filed October 11,1900. Serial No. 32,772. (No specimens.)

To all whom, it potty concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. STEVEN- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Springfield, Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Fabric and Strand for Producing the Same, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and serviceable imitation of fabrics made from pampas grass or straw, an object which I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanyw ing drawings, in which Figure l is a View of a strand employed by me in the production of the improved fabric, illustrating also the method of formation of the strand; and Figs. 2 and 3 are views of fabric made in accordance with my invention.

The views are on an exaggerated scale.

Fabrics made from pampas grass or straw are in demand for numerous purposes; but the material is objectionable because of the short length of the individual spears or stalks or, as they may be termed, strands, which must be knotted together in order to produce a strand of any considerable length. I provide an acceptable substitute for these straw or grass fabrics by using a strip of paper wrapped or folded around a strand of cotton or other textile material and by preference twisted just sufficiently to retain it in the folded condition, but not enough to prevent it from forming a flat strand resembling the spear of grass or stalk of straw for which it is intended as a substitute. My invention in its broadest embodiment, however, is not limited to this twisting of the paper covering. A piece of such composite strand is shown in Fig. 1, in which 1 represents the cotton or other textile strand or thread used as a core, and 2 the strip of paper wrapped or folded around the same and slightly twisted. The interposed strand of textile material imparts to the composite strand such tensile strength as enables it to resist any of the strains to which it is subjected while being woven either as warp or weft. In fact, the central strand so strengthens the composite strand that a fabric woven with the same retains its integrity even when wet to the point of saturation, the fabric being in this respect as acceptable as one made of grass or straw and retaining its flexibility in as great a measure as such grass or straw fabric after having been wet and subsequently dried.

In producing fabrics in accordance with my invention the composite strand may be used either as weft 3, interwoven with a warp 4 of textile strands, as in Fig. 2, or the composite strand may be used both as warp 4 and weft 3 as in Fig. 3.

As the strips of paper and textile strands can be made of indefinite length, I overcome the objection before noted to the use of grass or straw and am enabled to produce fabrics in imitation of the latter which are acceptable commercially and can be produced at considerably less expense.

I am aware that it has heretofore been proposed to make a paper twine by spinning a strip of paper tightly around a textile strand as a core; but the composite strand which I produce is distinct both in appearance and purpose from such a composite twine, my improved strand being flat instead of round and having none of the appearance of a spun strand.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut-- I. A strand of textile material, having a strip of paper folded or wrapped about the same so as to form a fiat strand resembling straw or grass, substantially as specified.

2. A strand of textile material, having a strip of paper folded or wrapped about the same and slightly twisted, so as to form a fiat strand resembling straw or grass, substantially as specified.

3. A woven fabric having as warp or weft fiat strands resembling straw or grass and each composed of a textile strand with a strip of paper wrapped or folded about the same, substantially as specified.

4. A woven fabric having as warp or weft flat strands resembling straw or grass and each composed of a textile strand with a strip of paper wrapped or folded about the same and slightly twisted, substantially as specified.

5. A woven fabric having. both warp and wrapped or folded about the same, and slightweft composed of flat strands resembling 1y twisted, substantially as specified. straw or grass, and each consisting of a strand In testimony whereof I have signed my of textile material with a strip of paper name to this specification in the presence of 5 wrapped or folded about the same, substantwo subscribing witnesses.

tially as specified. l

6. A woven fabric having both warp and WILLIAM STEVENSON weft composed of flat strands resembling Witnesses: strawor grass, and each consisting ofa strand HENRY K. WIGHT,

10 of textile material with a strip of paper F. A. PACKARD. 

